# work out

CEFR A2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/work-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to do physical exercise to get fit; also, to find a solution to a problem.

For teachers: to engage in physical exercise for fitness; alternatively, to resolve a problem or calculate a result through reasoning.

## Examples

- I work out at the gym three times a week.
- We need to work out a way to finish the project before the deadline on Friday.
- The scientists spent months trying to work out why the experiment failed despite following the established protocols.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to work out it." but "I need to work it out." — when using a pronoun as the object in the 'solve' sense, it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- the exercise sense is usually intransitive, while the problem-solving sense is often transitive.
- Teaching tip: distinguish between the intransitive 'I work out' (exercise) and the transitive 'I worked out the answer' (solved); the latter allows for object placement between the verb and particle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.